Floating embers
by Somerandomoldguy
Summary: The 19th century, the time of technological advances and marvels. And of course a time of wars. In one of these wars, young Russian soldier Mark finds himself behind enemy's lines due to the constant skirmishes on the Crimean border. Join him as he travels with a young women he meets on the plains. Fire emblem 7 AU in 19th century earth. On Hiatus.


Author's note. I don't own anything in the fire emblem franchise at all. Apologies if the writing is bad for i am still new to this.

Fires cackled as smoke still lingered over the field of battle. Having long ago finished its conclusion, it was a pitiable site as corpses littered the site with many showing slashes from blade's at their backs. Lyndis hesitated to even call it a battle, preferring the word skirmish but even that was far fetched as these supposed soldiers from Russia were rode down as they showed their backs to enemy. It was cruel thing, war. But having been spent all of her life in a nomadic tribe she had already seen far more of her share of violence. Riding lightly at a trot, she searched the field carefully for any clues that might have led to where the dastards she was tracking were.

As she observed the crackling fires still yet to be put out, she noticed a soldier slumped against a tree. It was a thing that that happened but not to frequently these things, A group of soldiers get lost during battle, end up in the woods were bandits frequented and got slaughtered. The thing that caught her eye was that this soldier was not looted like the rest of his peers. Around him, 2 bandits lay dead with another having a bayonet lodged in his stomach. Poor soldier must have fought like a lion, maybe that's why he wasn't looted like the rest. But it was strange, the men she hunted were not known to even have so much as a centimeter of honor. As she thought to herself she noticed the light rising and falling motions of the soldiers stomach. He was still alive! great. Maybe he can help provide some insight as to where the bandits she was tracking down where. Getting of her horse, she proceeded to carefully lift him up. Grunting at his weight, she then plopped him down sideways on the saddle of her horse. Shortly getting on after she had laid down his still breathing body on the horse.

* * *

Lyndis casually read through the soldiers dairy as he lay there on her cot. She had quickly made out his name to be mark as she read through his previous actions. Sighing a breathe of relief as she silently thanked her mother for teaching her how to read and speak Russian. Though she was no expert as she struggled to read some words and failed to understand the meaning of others. Her guest Mark here turned out to be quite a war hero. Twice decorated, he was promoted to lieutenant before being demoted due to disobeying orders during the siege of Sevastopol as he retreated from a position to keep his men in his unit alive. His latest entry was written before a recent battle that occurred between Ottoman and Russian forces. Piecing the puzzle together, she self congratulated herself as she was right. The soldier sleeping in her cot had retreated like the rest of his slain comrades only to be slain and run down by bandits.

Shutting the book, she stood up to fetch some water from the well grass letting out a quite but audible crunch as her feet stepped on it. Reaching the well, she opened the lid and pulled the bucket in the cold water up. The bucket disturbing the water as it got lifted up, the water sloshing and unclear ever more. Silently, she took the bucket and poured the water into a bowl before stepping back into her Yurt. The entrance to her yurt rustled as she entered, seeing the the soldier that she helped now with his eyes open, confusingly scanning his surroundings.

Setting down her bowl, and picking up a cup to set it down on the table, she spoke to him.

"ты проснулся?" She asked in broken Russian, hoping to get the message clear.

Taken aback, the soldier replied back.

"Daha yeni uyandım, bana yardım ettiğin için teşekkürler."

He replied, surprising her back. Thanking her for her help. A few moments of silence followed as both struggled to ask their questions.

"I" He started before being interrupted by a loud noise. Instinctively grabbing his Musket, he started to stand up before being stopped by Lyndis who put her arm across his stomach, telling him to stop.

"I'll go see whats happening, you wait for me." She said as she quickly pulled the flap entrance to her yurt away, quickly exiting the Yurt. Quickly spotting two figures in the horizon, her eyes narrowed in recognition. Bandits, more likely a scouting party to raid and attack villages. Rushing inside to grab her bow, she spoke to her new found guest.

"Bandits from the mountains. They're most likely planning to raid the local villages. I'll stop them, you can stay here and catch your breath." She said as she grabbed her quiver from her possessions.

"If that's all of them then i can take them."She muttered to her self as she equipped her saber.

"You'll be safe so don't worry."

"No, let me go with you! i would feel bad not helping my savior." Mark said as he stood up, musket in hand.

Smiling at this small yet noble gesture, she accepted.

Silently, they both left the yurt, moving silently across the plains as they spotted the two bandits. One was standing and keeping watch in the middle of the field far way from his ally. Failing to notice Mark and Lyndis as they hid behind a slight bump on the hill they were on.

"So...what do you think we should do?" She asked, awkward at having to talk to a random stranger who she did not know until today. And also trying to prod him for his name so she didn't have to accidentally slip up and call his name only to be questioned as to why and how she knew.

"Oh yea! I'm Mark by the way, miss?"

"Lyn, you may call me Lyn." She said smiling.

"An absolute pleasure miss Lyn, and also to answer you question. I think the best course of action here is to rush them. Neither of them have muskets as both are armed only with sabers..." He said as he looked at the two bandits once more.

"Ah! we'll both run up to the enemy in front of us. I'll shoot my musket up close and you can flank him. After that, our best chance is to rush the second one and either shoot him with your arrow or stab him with your sword, its up to you." He said, pointing to the two bandits.

"Sounds good." She said, nodding slightly as she gripped her sword.

"At the count of three." She announced. Readying her legs with mark nodding back.

"One" She counted.

"Two" Her fingers danced across the hilt of her blade.

"Three!" She exclaimed as both she and mark simultaneously jumped out of of their cover and charged the first man still unaware of them.

Running quickly, mark stopped a few feet in front of the bandit and in a way that obscured Lyn from his few and fired quickly at the bandit who had his back turned to them. The Smoke forming a little cloud then and there as the lead ball hurled itself at the bandit, hitting him in the arm. Letting out a yelp of surprise, he quickly held it in shock before she spotted Lyndis from the side blade out. Quickly trying to get his own saber, he was cut down quickly as she slashed his throat.

Due to these series of events, the second bandit rushed out of his tent sword in hand. Seeing Lyndis, he quickly cursed and charged at her, smiling and thinking her to be easy prey.

"Curse your luck girly for you now face Bata the beast!" He yelled as he took a swing at her with his sword.

Quickly dodging, Lyndis struck back, her blade slashing Bata's leg as he yelled out in pain. Cursing, he struck back with strength and speed. To fast for Lyndis to react to, he got in a slash on her arm that looked painful. Immediately she reacted by thrusting her sword in his chest, killing him instantly. As he fell down, She simply stood there panting. Both the pain and the killing of those two bandits started to sink in her as she gritted her teeth. Her arm now bleeding as the gash on her arm was very painful. Running up to her, Mark started bandaging her up as he spoke to her.

"Luckily the bandit didn't hit to hard." He said trying to make small talk.

"I... I killed them Mark..." She said as she looked at their corpses.

"I didn't know why i killed, i..my mind just went blank. I didn't even let the notion of maiming them to sink in my mind." She finally sputtered.

Finishing tending to her wound, Mark only sighed as he tried to comfort her.

"It's a terrible thing, killing a man. But its also a terrible thing to let a man kill you." Silence was what he got. Yes, the silence of guilt that he received from her made him only continue speaking more.

"You'll get used to slaying your enemy's after you fight a little more. And I dare say that its a terrible to get used to killing people. That thing that your feeling right now? keep it and you'll remain a human no matter how many men you kill. Once you stop caring its all over for you as a person." He said as he patted her on the shoulder before turning around to leave.

Gulping, She quickly came back to her senses and yelled at Mark.

"Wait!" She exclaimed, a hint of desperation on her face.

"Yes?" Mark replied. As he eyed her mysteriously now.

"If...if you don't mind. Would you accompany me on my travels?...it...its been a while since I've had human company and your not like any of the men that I've known and met... you're...different." She mumbled. She had finally admitted it she was lonely. Killing those two bandits brought her back to day her tribe was slaughtered, ever since then she had been roaming the plains alone. Truth be told she was so happy when she finally spoke to another person and she didn't want that to end so soon.

Mark merely raised an eyebrow at this.

"So...I'm a woman in your eyes?" he said with a teasing grin.

"W-what! no!.. it...its just that i feel strangely comfortable around you" She said eyes downcast.

Chuckling, He apologized.

"I'm sorry Lyn, i was just joking with you. And of course, i would be incredibly honored to join you in your journey."


End file.
